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Seattle's Swedish is set to open the Gossman Center for Advanced Pediatric and Perinatal Simulation on Tuesday, Dec. 2. The only facility of its kind in the Northwest, the $2 million center was created to continuously sharpen the skills of healthcare teams in critical clinical situations – without the direct involvement of real and vulnerable young patients, according to a news release.
 
The 6,500-square-foot Gossman Center is located on the third floor of the 600 Broadway Building near Swedish’s pediatric, infant and obstetric units on the First Hill Campus.
 
Leadership donors to establish the center included Seattle residents Cheryl and Bill Gossman, who donated $1 million, and the Moyer Foundation, which contributed $250,000.
 
The Gossman Center uses life-sized, computer-controlled patient mannequins that represent children of all ages – infants, toddlers, school-age youngsters – and mothers during childbirth. Each is integrated with wireless hardware and advanced software that create preplanned training scenarios mirroring situations calling for rapid response by medical teams. The mannequins can mimic human sounds made by the lungs, heart or bowel. They will cry, exhale, inhale, move their arms and legs, blink, and ‘talk’ to practitioners, just like real children. Scenarios can even simulate the appearance of blood or urine. ;
 
The center incorporates realistic medical spaces that perfectly replicate an exam room, an emergency department and surgical suite. Among many other processes, care teams can train in normal and high-risk clinical situations including pediatric and neonatal resuscitation, childbirth and triage of critical patients. In addition to clinical skills, simulation allows caregivers to practice teamwork, coordination and effective communication, according to the release.